Cars

We've made recommendations in every category, from the best gas-powered and electric cars to the top compact SUVs and hatchbacks. Whether you need a small car for city living or a safe, reliable minivan for your family's next road trip, we've found the best options to drive around in.

We spent dozens of hours considering every hybrid car currently on sale and driving and living with the best of the bunch. The 2016 Toyota Prius Two Eco achieves the best fuel efficiency rating of any car that doesn’t plug in. And it doesn’t cost much more than a non-hybrid compact car, meaning you’ll save from day one. Read More >

After three months of research and lots of electrified miles of driving, we’ve found that the 2016 Chevrolet Volt is the best plug-in hybrid for most people. It offers a total of 53 miles of all-electric range, seating for five, and a better interior than the competition, and it’s very fuel efficient when running on gas. Plus, it’s the least expensive plug-in hybrid available. Read More >

After driving every electric vehicle currently available for sale in the United States, we found the Kia Soul EV is the best option for drivers who want to go completely gas-free. The Soul has great range, an affordable price, and the best set of high-tech features we’ve seen. Plus, it drives better than most other EVs, and Kia has the best warranty among its competition. Read More >

After conducting research for dozens of hours and test-driving 11 models, we think the Kia Soul + (Soul Plus) is the best subcompact crossover SUV for most people. It has a roomy interior and the longest warranty, and it ranks among the best in crash tests. It also has the lowest starting price of any model we looked at, and a nearly loaded Soul + comes with more premium features than the others. Read More >

We’ve added the Kia Sedona EX as an additional option to our minivan guide for people who don’t have kids and want a well-designed, attractive minivan. It gives you more features for its price than our top pick, but the interior is smaller and it’s less fuel-efficient. Read More >

After considering 11 midsize sedans, we found the 2016 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium offers the best value compared to its competition. It has tons of extra features that would cost $7,000 to $10,000 more in other cars. And it's the safest, with excellent fuel economy and all-wheel drive. Read More >

After driving eight compact luxury sedans and consulting with experts, we found the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300 is the best choice for most people. The C300 has better fuel economy (thanks to its supercharged four-cylinder engine) than any car in its class, along with a truly upscale design and a superior overall driving experience. Read More >

We spent more than 100 hours researching and driving virtually every pickup with more than two doors (while towing trailers and going off-road) to find the 2016 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4WD Hemi is the best full-size pickup truck for personal use. The Ram has the smoothest ride and best handling of any truck we looked at, and its information system is the easiest to use we’ve seen in any vehicle. Read More >

After driving 15 compact crossover SUVs and consulting with other auto experts, we found the 2016 Mazda CX-5 Touring is the best choice for most people. Equipped with a great-looking exterior and a luxury-car-like interior, the CX-5 is by far the best compact crossover SUV to drive. Its fuel economy is among the best we found, too. And although it’s the second-least-expensive vehicle we considered, it comes with more premium features than the competition. Read More >

After months of detailed research, driving all the competition, and crawling around in every third-row seat, we found the 2016 Honda Pilot EX with Honda Sensing is the best large crossover SUV. The Pilot EX offers an overwhelming value that other vehicles we considered can’t match, charging one to two thousand dollars less than the competition for more features. It’s also perfectly sized; there’s plenty of room inside but not too much on the outside. Read More >

We spent weeks researching more than a dozen subcompact hatchbacks in search of the best ones, and the $19,000 2015 Honda Fit EX is the best for most people. It’s the safest subcompact we found and among the most fuel-efficient. It’s also packed with modern features and seats four people with room to spare. Plus, it can fit cargo that most subcompacts need strapped to the roof. Read More >

After spending more than 20 hours doing research, interviewing animal-care experts, scouring the Internet, and performing hands-on tests, we’ve found the best products for making life on the road with your four-legged friends easier and safer. Read More >

After considering dozens of dashcams, and short-listing 10 for hands-on testing, we found that the Zero Edge Technology Z-Edge Z3 is the best option for most people. It hits the mark better than the competition in terms of image quality, reliability, and usability, and it avoids unnecessary features that many pricier cameras offer. Plus, it’s affordable. Read More >

A breakdown or a flat tire can happen at any time, and what you have in your car can help you get back onto the road quickly. To help you avoid a long, trying ordeal by the side of the road, we spent more than 60 hours researching emergency gear and common roadside problems to find the best items to keep in your vehicle for a roadside emergency. Read More >

After more than 40 hours of research and a trip to the negative-three-degree cold-chamber at Ford’s winter-weather test facility in Detroit, we found the Hopkins 80037 is the best ice scraper. Its scraping blade is one of the best we’ve tested, and its plow-like broom is the best, period. Plus, it’s robustly built and more thoughtfully designed than any of the competition. Read More >

After 100 hours of research and living with 23 car floor mats for months, we found the WeatherTech FloorLiners are the best choice for most drivers. They’re designed to precisely fit specific vehicles and have raised edges to trap and contain liquids, all of which protects your carpets better than universal mats. Plus, they come in a far wider range of sizes than any other liner. Read More >

After surveying more than 1,000 Wirecutter readers and testing about 30 models, we found that TechMatte’s MagGrip CD Slot is the best smartphone car mount for most people. Its style allows for easier insertion, removal, and repositioning than the competition, so it’s a great fit for most cars. Plus, it holds your phone in an ideal position without blocking your view of the road. Read More >

Two record holders for the fastest drive cross-country (sans police escort) swear by the Valentine One radar detector. Its arrow system helps separate false alarms from actual cops by telling the driver where the alert came from. We tested the Valentine, and its top competitors, by driving for hours on city streets and highways -- we loved it too. Read More >

After two weeks spent researching motor oil and interviewing mechanics and techs at oil manufacturers, we found Mobil 1 Synthetic was the best motor oil for the average car. Mobil is a reliable brand with a solid track record for providing excellent engine protection, and it offers the widest range of oils for a range of cars of different ages. Read More >